Results for “driving range” — Page 43

DOE OSTI2021

Advanced Fuels Campaign Execution Plan

The Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) Execution Plan outlines the strategy, mission, scope, near-term and long-term goals, structure, and organization associated with nuclear fuels and materials research, development, and demonstration activities within the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain (NFCSC) program. NFCSC has been given responsibility to identify and mature advanced fuel technologies for the DOE using a science-based approach, focused on developing a fundamental understanding of nuclear fuels and materials to drive development of integrated nuclear fuel and materials technology. This science-based approach combines theory, experiments, and multiscale modeling and simulation to achieve a predictive understanding of relevant behaviors ranging from fuel fabrication processes (and their resulting fuel microstructures) through fuel/cladding performance under irradiation (in contrast to more empirical, observation-based approaches frequently used in fuel performance modeling and fuel qualification). The traditional scope of AFC includes the evaluation and development of multiple fuel forms to support two fuel cycle options: once-through and full recycle. The word “fuel” is used generically to include conventional fuels, transmutation targets, and any associated cladding or duct materials. The once-through fuel cycle addresses advanced light water reactor fuels with enhanced performance, extended burnup, and reduced waste generation. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, AFC’s scope expanded to include research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) for light water reactor (LWR) fuels with enhanced accident tolerance. Fuel fabrication activities include the development of innovative methods to enhance process efficiencies, reduce waste, and improve control over as-fabricated fuel microstructural properties to achieve desired in-reactor performance. Using modern modeling and simulation approaches, the objective is to predict fresh fuel properties given the feedstock characteristics and fabrication process parameters. The performance-related activities include small-scale, in-reactor, and out-of-reactor phenomenological testing (distinct from, but synergistic with, integral prototypic testing) and extensive, quantitative characterization (focusing on characterization of fuel and cladding materials at the scale of microstructure) both before and after testing. Larger-scale, prototypic experiments are conducted in concert with phenomenological testing to drive a Fuel Development and Qualification program, incorporating a fundamental understanding of fuel behavior performance characteristics. Then, using the tools developed under the productive science-based approach, fuels will be optimized to meet specific performance requirements, thereby minimizing the need to repeatedly perform large-scale, integral experiments over a wide parametric range as a means of experimental exploration. Two significant initiatives are underway within AFC. First, a gap analysis completed in early FY 2019 identified critical irradiation testing needs that are lacking within the national light water reactor (LWR) fuels testbed since the shutdown of the Halden Reactor in 2018. The identified gaps are for instrumented, prototypic testing of LWR fuels, especially under boiling water reactor conditions, ramp conditions, and conditions leading to fuel failure; these needs exist for supporting current LWR fuels and their possible extension to higher burnups, but are especially urgent relative to near-term development and qualification of accident-tolerant fuels. Recommendations that resulted from the Halden Gap Analysis focused on enhancements at Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) to fill gaps in testing capabilities relative to these needs. Second, a concerted effort to develop and demonstrate a systematic approach to accelerating the development, testing, and qualification of new fuel systems has been initiated. This is highlighted by a test strategy that combines the considerable advances in multiscale, mechanistic fuel modeling of recent years with a MiniFuel separate effects test program in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and a Fission Accelerated Steady-state Testing (FAST) semi-integral accelerated test program in ATR. This approach is being tested/demonstrated using the metallic fuel system, but if successful it is expected to be extensible to multiple fuel types and diverse applications. This document includes an overview of the NFCSC program, a definition of science-based development of nuclear fuels, near-term goals for Advanced LWR fuels (ALFs), and longer-term goals for Advanced Reactor Fuels (ARFs) RD&D. This includes the activities that will be conducted to achieve success toward the grand challenge, as well as the goals and milestones to be achieved over the next few decades of research and development. Long-term goals are based on the DOE Office of Nuclear Energ

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Advanced Fuels Campaign Execution Plan

The Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) Execution Plan outlines the strategy, mission, scope, near-term and long-term goals, structure, and organization associated with nuclear fuels and materials research, development, and demonstration activities within the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain (NFCSC) program. NFCSC has been given responsibility to identify and mature advanced fuel technologies for the DOE using a science-based approach, focused on developing a fundamental understanding of nuclear fuels and materials to drive development of integrated nuclear fuel and materials technology. This science-based approach combines theory, experiments, and multiscale modeling and simulation to achieve a predictive understanding of relevant behaviors ranging from fuel fabrication processes (and their resulting fuel microstructures) through fuel/cladding performance under irradiation (in contrast to more empirical, observation-based approaches frequently used in fuel performance modeling and fuel qualification). The traditional scope of AFC includes the evaluation and development of multiple fuel forms to support two fuel cycle options: once-through and full recycle. The word “fuel” is used generically to include conventional fuels, transmutation targets, and any associated cladding or duct materials. The once-through fuel cycle addresses advanced light water reactor fuels with enhanced performance, extended burnup, and reduced waste generation. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, AFC’s scope expanded to include research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) for light water reactor (LWR) fuels with enhanced accident tolerance. Fuel fabrication activities include the development of innovative methods to enhance process efficiencies, reduce waste, and improve control over as-fabricated fuel microstructural properties to achieve desired in-reactor performance. Using modern modeling and simulation approaches, the objective is to predict fresh fuel properties given the feedstock characteristics and fabrication process parameters. The performance-related activities include small-scale, in-reactor, and out-of-reactor phenomenological testing (distinct from, but synergistic with, integral prototypic testing) and extensive, quantitative characterization (focusing on characterization of fuel and cladding materials at the scale of microstructure) both before and after testing. Larger-scale, prototypic experiments are conducted in concert with phenomenological testing to drive a Fuel Development and Qualification program, incorporating a fundamental understanding of fuel behavior performance characteristics. Then, using the tools developed under the productive science-based approach, fuels will be optimized to meet specific performance requirements, thereby minimizing the need to repeatedly perform large-scale, integral experiments over a wide parametric range as a means of experimental exploration. Two significant initiatives are underway within AFC. First, a gap analysis completed in early FY 2019 identified critical irradiation testing needs that are lacking within the national light water reactor (LWR) fuels testbed since the shutdown of the Halden Reactor in 2018. The identified gaps are for instrumented, prototypic testing of LWR fuels, especially under boiling water reactor conditions, ramp conditions, and conditions leading to fuel failure; these needs exist for supporting current LWR fuels and their possible extension to higher burnups, but are especially urgent relative to near-term development and qualification of accident-tolerant fuels. Recommendations that resulted from the Halden Gap Analysis focused on enhancements at Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) and Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) to fill gaps in testing capabilities relative to these needs. Second, a concerted effort to develop and demonstrate a systematic approach to accelerating the development, testing, and qualification of new fuel systems has been initiated. This is highlighted by a test strategy that combines the considerable advances in multiscale, mechanistic fuel modeling of recent years with a MiniFuel separate effects test program in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and a Fission Accelerated Steady-state Testing (FAST) semi-integral accelerated test program in ATR. This approach is being tested/demonstrated using the metallic fuel system, but if successful it is expected to be extensible to multiple fuel types and diverse applications. This document includes an overview of the NFCSC program, a definition of science-based development of nuclear fuels, near-term goals for Advanced LWR fuels (ALFs), and longer-term goals for Advanced Reactor Fuels (ARFs) RD&D. This includes the activities that will be conducted to achieve success toward the grand challenge, as well as the goals and milestones to be achieved over the next few decades of research and development. Long-term goals are based on the DOE Office of Nuclear Energ

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Integrating density functional theory into reductive dechlorination research

Abstract Chlorinated organics have been frequently detected in groundwaters, threatening the quality of drinking water supplies worldwide. A promising method for groundwater remediation involves reductive dechlorination (RD), in which chlorine atoms are sequentially removed and substituted by hydrogen, producing less harmful byproducts. In this paper, for the first time, RD research is reviewed in light of the growing incorporation of density functional theory (DFT) as a research tool. DFT has been used to uncover a variety of reaction properties for a range of relevant groundwater pollutants, including 1,2,3‐trichloropropane, hexachlorobenzene, and various dioxins. DFT models have revealed the role of surface interactions in driving the kinetics of catalytically driven RD. Mechanisms involved with biologically mediated RD have also been elucidated with insights gleaned from DFT. Issues and challenges for future research are also discussed.

Das Schober, Jaya↗

DOE OSTI2020

A multi-dimensional dataset for two-phase instability in low pressure natural circulation based on direct transient local measurement

Thermal hydraulic instability can challenge the control and the safety of nuclear reactors. This experimental research captures and investigates the instability in a low-pressure (1–10 atmospheres) natural circulation loop with an adiabatic chimney installed above the heated section. Direct transient local measurement of two-phase flow is performed at multiple axial locations along the flow channel with thermocouples and conductivity probes traversed by customized high-precision mechanisms. Based on the periodicity of oscillations, a post-processing method is proposed to align the data captured non-simultaneously to reconstruct the instability behavior in one representative period. The averaging operation over multiple oscillation cycles is performed to reduce the random errors. Cyclic phenomena are clearly demonstrated by the post-processed data, and rapid void fraction change induced by the flashing is observed to be significant in the driving mechanism for low pressure oscillations. Parametric effects of inlet subcooling, heat flux, inlet flow restriction and system pressure are studied within the experiment range, and qualitative results are explained and compared with existing literature. The ratio between the oscillation period and the travelling time of the fluid particle through the test section is compared with the theoretical value for the density wave oscillation. The new dataset contains directly measured transient multi-dimensional two-phase data along the flow channel for natural circulation under density wave oscillations. The generated dataset is valuable for the validation of system analysis codes and CFD codes in the simulation of natural circulation phenomena and dynamic two-phase flow.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Novel method for accurately estimating membrane transport properties and mass transfer coefficients in reverse osmosis

Here, we present a simple and robust method to simultaneously characterize the water and salt permeability (A, B) of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and mass transfer coefficient (k) in membrane modules. The proposed methodology comprises a set of RO experiments performed at different operating pressures or stages. The measured water and salt fluxes in each stage are simultaneously fitted to the RO transport equations by performing a non-linear regression, using A, B, and k as regression parameters. We first perform a systematic accuracy analysis of the proposed method across the full operational range of RO. The assessment shows that the method accuracy is substantially higher than current methods and increases with number of experimental stages and driving forces. This assessment is used to inform the design of an experimental protocol that minimizes errors in estimated A, B, and k. We then evaluate two commercial RO membranes following the new protocol. For both membranes, A and B parameters decrease by 17% and 15% from the dilute solution to seawater concentrations, whereas the k parameter remains constant. Our study demonstrates that the proposed method, informed by data-driven experimental designs, provides a new approach for accurately characterizing transport phenomenon in membrane processes with feeds of less than 100 g/L total dissolved solids.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

X-ray Induced Cycling of Rare-Earth Elements between Bulk and Interfacial Liquid

Reversible cycling of rare-earth elements between an aqueous electrolyte solution and its free surface is achieved by X-ray exposure. This exposure alters the competitive equilibrium between lanthanide ions bound to a chelating ligand, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), in the bulk solution and to insoluble monolayers of extractant di-hexadecyl phosphoric acid (DHDP) at its surface. Evidence for the exposure-induced temporal variations in the lanthanide surface density is provided by X-ray fluorescence near total reflection measurements. Comparison of results when X-rays are confined to the aqueous surface region to results when X-rays transmit into the bulk solution suggests the importance of aqueous radiolysis in the adsorption cycle. Amine binding sites in DTPA are identified as a likely target of radiolysis products. The molecules DTPA and DHDP are like those used in the separation of lanthanides from ores and in the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. Furthermore, these results suggest that an external source of X-rays can be used to drive rare-earth element separations. More generally, use of X-rays to controllably dose a liquid interface with lanthanides could trigger a range of interfacial processes, including enhanced metal ion extraction, catalysis, and materials synthesis.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Stimulated excitation of thermal diffusion waves in a magnetized plasma pressure filament

Results are presented from basic heat transport experiments using a magnetized electron temperature filament that behaves as a thermal resonator. Using a small cathode source, low energy electrons are injected along the magnetic field into the afterglow of a pre-existing plasma forming a hot electron filament embedded in a colder plasma. A series of low amplitude, sinusoidal perturbations are added to the cathode discharge bias that creates an oscillating heat source capable of driving large amplitude electron temperature oscillations. Langmuir probes are used to measure the amplitude and phase of the thermal wave field over a wide range of driver frequencies. The results are used to verify the excitation of thermal waves, confirm the presence of thermal resonances, and demonstrate the diagnostic potential of thermal waves through measurement of the parallel thermal diffusivity.

Karbashewski, S. (ORCID:000000034988492X)↗

DOE OSTI2022

Predicted performance of a tangential viewing hard x-ray camera for the DIII-D high field side lower hybrid current drive experiment

High field side launch of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) has improved accessibility and penetration over low field side launch on DIII-D. Simulations predict single pass absorption under a wide range of plasma conditions. Hard x-ray (HXR) measurement of LHCD generated fast electron bremsstrahlung (50–250 keV) will validate wave propagation and absorption. Emissivity profiles are recovered from one-dimensional inversion of HXR brightness to determine LH damping location, fast electron slowing down time, and some indication of the fast electron energy. The camera will be implemented by populating 32 tangential sightlines of the existing Gamma Ray Imager with Kromek SPEARTM Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors sensitive to 10–1000 keV photons with 10 keV energy resolution. Expected count rates allow for <0.5 ms time resolution. Pulses are processed using 50 ns shaping time Cremat CR-200 Gaussian shaping modules and are digitized by 25 MHz D-TACQ ACQ216 digitizers. The performance of the HXR camera is evaluated by comparing predicted fast electron density profiles and inverted synthetic brightnesses obtained from the ray-tracing/Fokker–Planck codes GENRAY/CQL3D. Inversions closely matched predicted fast electron profiles for a range of experimental parameters.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Spatial and temporal variation in nest temperatures forecasts sex ratio skews in a crocodilian with environmental sex determination

Species displaying temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) are especially vulnerable to the effects of a rapidly changing global climate due to their profound sensitivity to thermal cues during development. Predicting the consequences of climate change for these species, including skewed offspring sex ratios, depends on understanding how climatic factors interface with features of maternal nesting behaviour to shape the developmental environment. Here, we measure thermal profiles in 86 nests at two geographically distinct sites in the northern and southern regions of the American alligator's ( Alligator mississippiensis ) geographical range, and examine the influence of both climatic factors and maternally driven nest characteristics on nest temperature variation. Changes in daily maximum air temperatures drive annual trends in nest temperatures, while variation in individual nest temperatures is also related to local habitat factors and microclimate characteristics. Without any compensatory nesting behaviours, nest temperatures are projected to increase by 1.6–3.7°C by the year 2100, and these changes are predicted to have dramatic consequences for offspring sex ratios. Exact sex ratio outcomes vary widely depending on site and emission scenario as a function of the unique temperature-by-sex reaction norm exhibited by all crocodilians. By revealing the ecological drivers of nest temperature variation in the American alligator, this study provides important insights into the potential consequences of climate change for crocodilian species, many of which are already threatened by extinction.

Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗

DOE OSTI2024

Tunable Inductive Coupler for High-Fidelity Gates Between Fluxonium Qubits

The fluxonium qubit is a promising candidate for quantum computation due to its long coherence times and large anharmonicity. We present a tunable coupler that realizes strong inductive coupling between two heavy-fluxonium qubits, each with approximately 50-MHz frequencies and approximately 5-GHz anharmonicities. The coupler enables the qubits to have a large tuning range of 𝑋⁢𝑋 coupling strengths (−35 to 75 MHz). The 𝑍⁢𝑍 coupling strength is <3 kHz across the entire coupler bias range and <100 Hz at the coupler off position. These qualities lead to fast high-fidelity single- and two-qubit gates. By driving at the difference frequency of the two qubits, we realize a $\sqrt{i\textrm{SWAP}}$ gate in 258 ns with fidelity 99.72%, and by driving at the sum frequency of the two qubits, we achieve a $\sqrt{𝑏⁢\textrm{SWAP}}$ gate in 102 ns with fidelity 99.91%. This latter gate is only five qubit Larmor periods in length. We run cross-entropy benchmarking for over 20 consecutive hours and measure stable gate fidelities, with $\sqrt{𝑏⁢\textrm{SWAP}}$ drift (2⁢𝜎) <0.02% and $\sqrt{i\textrm{SWAP}}$ drift <0.08%.

Zhang, Helin↗

DOE OSTI2021

Python Library For Vehicular Emission Estimation

PyEmission is a Python library for estimation of vehicular emissions and fuel consumption. This tool covers a wide range of light duty motor vehicles including passenger car, SUV, passenger truck, and light commercial truck. The tool only takes second-by-second driving cycle and vehicle characteristics data as inputs and generate results of vehicular emissions (CO2, CO, NOx, and HC) and fuel consumption.

Rahman, MamunurMD↗

DOE OSTI2023

Virus diversity and activity is driven by snowmelt and host dynamics in a high-altitude watershed soil ecosystem

Background: Viruses impact nearly all organisms on Earth, including microbial communities and their associated biogeochemical processes. In soils, highly diverse viral communities have been identified, with a global distribution seemingly driven by multiple biotic and abiotic factors, especially soil temperature and moisture. However, our current understanding of the stability of soil viral communities across time and their response to strong seasonal changes in environmental parameters remains limited. Here, we investigated the diversity and activity of environmental soil DNA and RNA viruses, focusing especially on bacteriophages, across dynamics’ seasonal changes in a snow-dominated mountainous watershed by examining paired metagenomes and metatranscriptomes. Results: We identified a large number of DNA and RNA viruses taxonomically divergent from existing environmental viruses, including a significant proportion of fungal RNA viruses, and a large and unsuspected diversity of positive single-stranded RNA phages ( Leviviricetes ), highlighting the under-characterization of the global soil virosphere. Among these, we were able to distinguish subsets of active DNA and RNA phages that changed across seasons, consistent with a “seed-bank” viral community structure in which new phage activity, for example, replication and host lysis, is sequentially triggered by changes in environmental conditions. At the population level, we further identified virus-host dynamics matching two existing ecological models: “Kill-The-Winner” which proposes that lytic phages are actively infecting abundant bacteria, and “Piggyback-The-Persistent” which argues that when the host is growing slowly, it is more beneficial to remain in a dormant state. The former was associated with summer months of high and rapid microbial activity, and the latter with winter months of limited and slow host growth. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that the high diversity of viruses in soils is likely associated with a broad range of host interaction types each adapted to specific host ecological strategies and environmental conditions. As our understanding of how environmental and host factors drive viral activity in soil ecosystems progresses, integrating these viral impacts in complex natural microbiome models will be key to accurately predict ecosystem biogeochemistry.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Processed Lab Data for Neural Network-Based Shear Stress Level Prediction

Machine learning can be used to predict fault properties such as shear stress, friction, and time to failure using continuous records of fault zone acoustic emissions. The files are extracted features and labels from lab data (experiment p4679). The features are extracted with a non-overlapping window from the original acoustic data. The first column is the time of the window. The second and third columns are the mean and the variance of the acoustic data in this window, respectively. The 4th-11th column is the the power spectrum density ranging from low to high frequency. And the last column is the corresponding label (shear stress level). The name of the file means which driving velocity the sequence is generated from. Data were generated from laboratory friction experiments conducted with a biaxial shear apparatus. Experiments were conducted in the double direct shear configuration in which two fault zones are sheared between three rigid forcing blocks. Our samples consisted of two 5-mm-thick layers of simulated fault gouge with a nominal contact area of 10 by 10 cm^2. Gouge material consisted of soda-lime glass beads with initial particle size between 105 and 149 micrometers. Prior to shearing, we impose a constant fault normal stress of 2 MPa using a servo-controlled load-feedback mechanism and allow the sample to compact. Once the sample has reached a constant layer thickness, the central block is driven down at constant rate of 10 micrometers per second. In tandem, we collect an AE signal continuously at 4 MHz from a piezoceramic sensor embedded in a steel forcing block about 22 mm from the gouge layer The data from this experiment can be used with the deep learning algorithm to train it for future fault property prediction.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1972

Present developments in theory of the solar wind

Current problems and developments in the theory of the large-scale expansion of the solar corona are reviewed. The outstanding question is whether the energy supply to the quiet corona is mainly thermal conduction outward from a region of active heating at its base, or mainly wave propagation outward from the base. It is suggested that the question can be settled only when the properties of the wind can be sampled over a wide range of radial distance from the sun, from far inside the orbit of earth to well beyond. It was suggested that hydromagnetic waves may drive the expansion of the active corona by direct transfer of momentum as well as energy.

Parker, E. N.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Basic coaxial mass driver reference design

The reference design for a basic coaxial mass driver is developed to illustrate the principles and optimization procedures on the basis of numerical integration by programmable pocket calculators. The four inch caliber system uses a single-coil bucket and a single-phase propulsion track with discrete coils, separately energized by capacitors. An actual driver would use multiple-coil buckets and an oscillatory multi-phase drive system. Even the basic, table-top demonstration system should in principle be able to achieve accelerations in the 1,000 m/sq sec range. Current densities of the order of 25 ka/sq cm, continuously achievable only in superconductors, are carried by an ordinary aluminum bucket coil for a short period in order to demonstrate the calculated acceleration. Ultimately the system can be lengthened and provided with a magnetically levitated, superconducting bucket to study levitation dynamics under quasi-steady-state conditions, and to approach lunar escape velocity in an evacuated tube.

Kolm, H. H.↗

NASA NTRS1978

A new blade element method for calculating the performance of high and intermediate solidity axial flow fans

A method is presented to design and predict the performance of axial flow rotors operating in a duct. The same method is suitable for the design of ducted fans and open propellers. The unified method is based on the blade element approach and the vortex theory for determining the three dimensional effects, so that two dimensional airfoil data can be used for determining the resultant force on each blade element. Resolution of this force in the thrust and torque planes and integration allows the total performance of the rotor, fan or propeller to be predicted. Three different methods of analysis, one based on a momentum flow theory; another on the vortex theory of propellers; and a third based on the theory of ducted fans, agree and reduce cascade airfoil data to single line as a function of the loading and induced angle of attack at values of constant inflow angle. The theory applies for any solidity from .01 to over 1 and any blade section camber. The effects of the duct and blade number can be determined so that the procedure applies over the entire range from two blade open propellers, to ducted helicopter tail rotors, to axial flow compressors with or without guide vanes, and to wind tunnel drive fans.

Borst, H. V.↗

NASA NTRS1986

SCATHA survey of high-level spacecraft charging in sunlight

The statistical occurrence of spacecraft charging at near-geosynchronous orbit in daylight is studied with reference to results of an experiment conducted on the SCATHA satellite. In particular, it is found that: (1) the external current that creates high negative satellite frame potentials is the high-energy electron current from the electron population with energies greater than about 30 keV; (2) the electron current to the satellite from particles with energies less than about 30 keV neither drives the frame potential nor provides the current to balance the high-energy populations; and (3) the ion current provided from the entire range of measured ions is also not the primary source of the balancing current.

Mullen, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Calorimetric thermal-vacuum performance characterization of the BAe 80 K space cryocooler

A comprehensive characterization program is underway at JPL to generate test data on long-life, miniature Stirling-cycle cryocoolers for space application. The key focus of this paper is on the thermal performance of the British Aerospace (BAe) 80 K split-Stirling-cycle cryocooler as measured in a unique calorimetric thermal-vacuum test chamber that accurately simulates the heat-transfer interfaces of space. Two separate cooling fluid loops provide precise individual control of the compressor and displacer heatsink temperatures. In addition, heatflow transducers enable calorimetric measurements of the heat rejected separately by the compressor and displacer. Cooler thermal performance has been mapped for coldtip temperatures ranging from below 45 K to above 150 K, for heatsink temperatures ranging from 280 K to 320 K, and for a wide variety of operational variables including compressor-displacer phase, compressor-displacer stroke, drive frequency, and piston-displacer dc offset.

Kotsubo, V. Y.↗